1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a cycloalkanol advantageously on an industrial scale by oxidizing a cycloalkane with molecular oxygen in a liquid phase.
2. Discussion of the Background
For the production of cycloalkanols, it is known to oxidize cycloalkanes with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the liquid phase in the presence of a catalyst such as a heavy metal compound or a boron compound. Such a method is widely used on an industrial scale, since the selectivity for the corresponding cycloalkanols or cycloalkanones is high.
However, if it is attempted to increase the conversion of cycloalkanes by such a method, economically or operationally undesirable phenomena, such as a substantial decrease of the selectivity or an increase of the formation of tar, appear. Therefore, it is common to set the conversion of cycloalkanes at a level of from 3 to 10%, and it has been proposed to use various co-catalysts or additives in order to improve the selectivity for the total of cycloalkanols and cycloalkanones. However, no adequate effects have been thereby obtained.